What is gene bank ?

 Gene bank

• A gene bank is a center where valuable plant material of threatened or endangered species are stored in vital conditions.

• Gene bank stores both vegetative and seed material. Term Germplasm bank is also used for gene banking.

• The  germplasm  bank provides safe storage of seed or vegetative material of threatened species .

• This storage of germplasm is widely used by the plant breeders to produce different valuable varieties of plant all over the world.

• Gene banks include botanical gardens, genetic resource centers, culture collections, etc. Gene bank stores seed , pollen grain, and vegetarian propagative parts like build, tuber, offset etc.

• The most common way to preserve the germplasm is storing seeds. Seed of most plant species are stored in cold, dry conditions in a germplasm bank and they are germinated to raise the plant according to requirement.

• Several international organisations promote the method of ex situ conservation of genetic diversity by establishing the gene bank.In 1974, an international research center for genetic resources of plants was set up.

• Later It was set up with the name of the International plant genetic resource institutewith headquarter located at Rome.

• A network of gene banks to conserve the variety of medicinal and aromatic plants has also been set up by G-15 nations.

• Storing germplasm is also useful in Tissue culture to conserve the material of seeds and seedless plants.

• Tissue culture technique of preserving germplasm stores a large number of genotypes in a small culture vessel.

• The development of rice variety IR36 by the international rice research institute at manila Philippines demonstrated the use of gene bank.

• The Recent development of  markers which are based on polymorphism found in protein has the conservation strategies of plant genetic resources.